*NaNo Project* Part the Seventh - Section the Fifth - The Scribe - 955AD

[of_monmouth]

I was surprised when Gaius took me to the tavern and even more surprised when I found the group assembled, I hadn't seen any of them since returning from the Labrinyth some months ago. Like Gaius they seemed a bit more subdued, but in good enough spirits, except for perhaps Richard who appeared to have aged decades, he remained silent while the rest greeted me with smiles.

Gaius sat down at the head of the table and explained my predicament.

"A scribe?" Alice looked at me in surprise. "I thought you needed to be trained for such things?"

I gave Gaius a look and smiled wryly. "I didn't think so, but Gaius has disabused me of that notion."

"Practice is definitely needed for something like this, I'm afraid Geoff's become the latest pawn in the never-ending war between our esteemed members of royalty."

I was a bit startled to hear him make such a comment in public, but I supposed it was loud enough in the tavern for it to be safe.

"So I've offered our services for some quick practice before the council begins." Gaius looked around the table and there were nods from the others except for Richard who was staring off in the distance.

"Great!" Gaius claps his hands together and looks to me. "Get out your parchment and quill, Geoff and get writing."

I blinked in surprise. "Now?"

"What better time?"

"It's so loud."

"All the better, it won't be as loud at the council, but it'll be far more important so if you record us accurately enough you'll be a good stead...I think."

Right, well I suppose Gaius's reasoning was sound enough, so pulling out my quill and parchment and got to work.

In don't believe I've ever written so quickly and messily in my life and at one point I wonder if I'd actually be able to read it when I finally finished.

I think half an hour passed before Gaius said I should stop so we we could see how accurate...or not I was.

Except for Richard everyone else wanted a look and I waited nervously to see what their verdict would be.

Ian shook his head, proclaiming it was impossible to read, Elric said that it looked all right to him. Alice looked at it for quite a while before finally passing her judgement. "You may need to make it a bit more clear who's actually saying what."

I nodded, although I wondered what I was going to write if I didn't know their names, but I'd figure that out later, I suppose.

Finally, Gaius took a look and agreed with Alice's assessment. "Still you've done a lot better than I could have done," he gave me a slap on the back.

I gave a slight smile. I had never seen Gaius write before, so I couldn't really say how much encouragement that was. Still, I had a day in which to practice, and practice makes perfect so they say.

So, I allowed myself a drink before bidding Gaius and his friends good evening and headed back to the library where I looked up previous council meetings just to see how the scribes before me had done it.

The answer was most definitely neater than I had imagined, though I hoped this was because they had rewritten it and this was a firs draft. I quizzed Cedas about this as soon as he returned to the library from parts unknown - I wasn't sure where he went exactly, I had never thought to ask, but it was really none of my business really.

"Oh, those are second drafts, of course, the first ones were a complete mess, really you need to write whatever is said a quickly and completely as you can."

I nodded and bit my lip, a little worried. "Is there...some sort of punishment if you don't get it right?"

Cedas gave me a look and simply said. "I would strongly recommend that you get it right."

Well...that was quite omnious.